oxalic acid
noun Chemistry.
a white, crystalline, water-soluble, poisonous acid, H2C2O4⋅2H2O, first discovered in the juice of the wood sorrel species of oxalis and obtained by reacting carbon monoxide with sodium hydroxide or certain carbohydrates with acids or alkalis: used chiefly for bleaching, as a cleanser, and as a laboratory reagent.
Origin of oxalic acid
First recorded in 1785–95
Words nearby oxalic acid
oxacillin,
oxalate,
oxalate calculus,
oxalemia,
oxalic,
oxalic acid,
oxalis,
oxaloacetic acid,
oxalosis,
oxalosuccinic acid,
oxaluria
British Dictionary definitions for oxalic acid
oxalic acid
/ (ɒkˈsælɪk) /
noun
a colourless poisonous crystalline dicarboxylic acid found in many plants: used as a bleach and a cleansing agent for metals. Formula: (COOH) 2
Systematic name: ethanedioic acid
Word Origin for oxalic acid
C18: from French
oxalique, from Latin
oxalis garden sorrel; see
oxalis
Medical definitions for oxalic acid
oxalic acid
[ ŏk-săl′ĭk ]
n.
A poisonous crystalline organic acid found in many plants and used as an agent in chemical reduction.
Scientific definitions for oxalic acid
oxalic acid
[ ŏk-săl′ĭk ]
A poisonous, crystalline acid found in a number of plants such as sorrel and the leaf blades of rhubarb. It is used for many industrial purposes, including rust removal and bleaching. Chemical formula: C2H2O4.